Customer story
Montane automated sales, orders and fulfilment across Shopify, Sage 200, Elastic Suite and its 3PL partner with Zynk, removing manual steps from both D2C and bulk B2B order processing.
Montane
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SFTP Integration
Zynk's SFTP integration moves files securely between your systems and any SFTP server, whether it belongs to a customer, supplier or 3PL. Workflows upload, download, list, rename and delete remote files, or synchronise whole directories, over an encrypted SSH connection, then pass each file to CSV, XML, EDI or accounting steps so partner data is processed without manual handling.
Available for
Capabilities may differ depending on the product.
Benefits
Why businesses connect SFTP
Encrypted in transit
SFTP runs over SSH, so the login, the commands and the file contents are all encrypted between Zynk and the server. That suits order files, price lists and payment data that should never travel over plain FTP.
Password or key authentication
Connections authenticate with a username and password or with a public key, matching whatever your trading partner's server expects, and the credentials sit in the Zynk connection rather than in scripts.
A second layer with PGP
Where a partner wants the file protected as well as the connection, PGP steps encrypt files before upload and decrypt them after download, so payment and remittance files stay sealed while they sit on the server.
One port for IT to approve
SFTP carries logins, commands and data over a single SSH connection, normally on port 22, instead of the separate data channels FTP opens. Firewall rules stay simple on your side and the partner's.
Each file processed in turn
List Remote Files and the Remote File Repeater pick up every new file and run it through the workflow. Afterwards the file is renamed or deleted on the server, so it is never collected twice.
Partner data into your ERP
Downloaded files feed CSV, XML or EDIFACT conversion and then Sage, Business Central or another system, so customer orders sent by SFTP become sales orders without anyone opening the file.
Capabilities
What you can do with SFTP
Every task the Zynk SFTP connector can run, grouped by the direction data moves.
Actions in SFTP
Tasks Zynk can automate in SFTP
7 tasks
- Delete remote file → in SFTP
- Download remote file → in SFTP
- List remote files → in SFTP
- Remote file repeater → in SFTP
- Rename remote file → in SFTP
- Synchronise directory → in SFTP
- Upload remote file → in SFTP
Need something that isn't listed?
Most SFTP projects include at least one custom step. Our team builds it for you.
The problem
Why integrate SFTP?
Plenty of trading partners still exchange data as files on an SFTP server: purchase orders from retailers, despatch confirmations from 3PLs, stock files from suppliers. Handling those files manually means someone logs in, downloads, renames and uploads every day, and one missed file means a missed order.
Without integration
- Someone logging in to partner servers each morning to look for new files
- Order files opened and rekeyed into the accounts
- Partners asking for key-based logins that existing scripts cannot handle
- Confirmations and stock files sent late or forgotten
- Sensitive data sent over plain FTP or as email attachments
With Zynk
- New files are listed and downloaded on a schedule
- Each file is converted and imported straight into your ERP
- Public key authentication is set up once in the Zynk connection
- Outbound files upload as soon as your system creates them
- Transfers run over SSH and are encrypted in transit
How it works
How the SFTP integration works
Step 1: Set up the SFTP connection
Enter the host, port and username for each server, with a password or private key. Zynk tests the connection and lists the remote folder before any workflow relies on it.
Step 2: Agree file rules
We agree folder paths, file name patterns and formats with you and your partner, plus what happens after each transfer: rename the file, delete it or leave it in place.
Step 3: Chain the processing
Downloads hand each file to conversion steps such as CSV to XML, PGP decryption or EDIFACT parsing, then to the import task for your ERP. Uploads work the same way in reverse.
Step 4: Schedule and alert
Transfers run on a schedule, from every few minutes to once a night. If a server cannot be reached or a transfer fails, Zynk raises an alert so the file is not quietly missed.
Integrations
What can you connect to SFTP?
Example use cases for SFTP integration
SFTP and PGP
Decrypt PGP-encrypted files after download, or encrypt outbound files before upload, for partners that require both an SSH connection and encrypted file content.
From SFTP to PGP:Downloaded filesFrom PGP to SFTP:Encrypted files
SFTP and EDIFACT D96A
Collect EDIFACT D96A messages from a retailer's SFTP server and convert them to XML for import, then turn outbound XML into EDIFACT ready for upload.
From SFTP to EDIFACT D96A:Inbound EDI filesFrom EDIFACT D96A to SFTP:Outbound EDI files
SFTP and CSV
Download CSV files from partners and convert them to XML for processing, or create CSV files from your own data and upload them to the partner's folder.
From SFTP to CSV:CSV filesFrom CSV to SFTP:CSV files
SFTP and Amazon S3
Copy files between an SFTP server and an Amazon S3 bucket, to archive partner files or hand them to cloud applications that read from S3.
From SFTP to Amazon S3:FilesFrom Amazon S3 to SFTP:Files
SFTP integration FAQs
What is the difference between SFTP and FTP?
FTP sends commands and data unencrypted unless it is wrapped in TLS as FTPS. SFTP is a different protocol that runs over SSH, usually on port 22, so the login and every file are encrypted. Choose SFTP whenever a partner supports it.
Is the SFTP connector the same as Remote File Transfer?
SFTP transfers in Zynk are now handled by the Remote File Transfer connector, which covers SFTP and FTP with the same tasks: upload, download, list, rename, delete, repeat and synchronise. New projects use it whichever protocol a partner needs.
Can Zynk log in to an SFTP server with an SSH key?
Yes. Connections can authenticate with a username and password or with public key authentication, where Zynk holds the private key and the server holds the matching public key. Your partner will tell you which method their server expects.
Can orders received by SFTP be imported into Sage?
Yes. Zynk downloads the order file, converts it from CSV, XML or EDIFACT as needed and imports the orders into Sage 200, Sage 50 or another ERP. Despatch or invoice files can then be generated and uploaded back to the partner.
How does Zynk avoid processing the same SFTP file twice?
After a file has been downloaded and processed, the workflow renames it, for example into an archive folder, or deletes it from the server. The next run only sees new files, and the partner can tell which files have been collected.
Which port does SFTP use, and what does our firewall need?
SFTP normally runs on port 22, the standard SSH port, although some partners choose another. Zynk connects out to the partner's server, so your IT team usually only needs to allow outbound traffic to that host and port.
Can SFTP transfers be combined with PGP encryption?
Yes. Zynk's PGP connector encrypts files before upload and decrypts them after download. SSH protects the connection while PGP protects the file itself, which some partners require for payment and remittance files.
See what Zynk can automate for your SFTP setup
Book a 20-minute call. We'll review your systems, flag the quick wins and outline a practical route to going live.
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